The Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce has been pondering the idea of adding to its facility for the purposes of a community/conference center, observation deck and a wrap-around walkway. With a recent $5,000 grant from the Spahn & Rose Foundation, the chamber has now reached over 70 percent of its project costs. Spahn & Rose has been in business since 1904 and is headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. The Prairie du Chien lumber yard has been in town since 1991 and at its current location since 2005. Every year, the Spahn & Rose Foundation donates to nonprofit organizations in the communities that are home to its 24 lumber yards. According to Brent Posten, Prairie du Chien’s general manager, this is the first time any entity from Prairie du Chien has ever applied for the grant. Chamber CEO Bob Moses said he expects the project to utilize Spahn & Rose materials during the construction process. Moses said the goal is for groundbreaking to happen in April.

Numerous men and women of various fame were born and raised in Crawford County. Others simply spent time in the local communities at some point in their lives. There are certainly more than just seven such individuals, but what follows is a cross-section of those with local connections who are known across the country and, in some cases, the globe.

Barbara Bedford
Barbara Bedford, born as Violet May Rose in the Prairie du Chien and Eastman area, was a silent film actress, who appeared in many films. Her long list of film appearances included in the “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Tumbleweeds” and “Cradle of Courage.”

Prairie du Chien’s Matt Antoine is among the athletes who will be part of TOPPS latest set of Olympic trading cards, which will be issued Friday. TOPPS has been the official trading card partner for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams since 2012, and this year’s set will showcase a record 50 athletes who represent the country.

Each hobby box of 2018 Topps U.S. Olympics & Paralympic Hopefuls includes one autographed card and two relic cards, which feature a piece of Team USA apparel worn by the athlete.

Fans can have a chance to find autographs from athletes such as Lindsey Vonn, Bode Miller, Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

The 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, take place Feb. 9-25, and Antoine’s events will be Feb. 15-17.

Longtime Crawford County Agent Vance Haugen will soon be retiring. In fact, Vance, who has worked for more than 26 years in the UW Extension Office in Crawford County, will officially retire on Jan. 31.

In October, the SMRT Bus Service, for which Prairie du Chien is a grant sponsor, began to serve a fourth county. More specifically, it added a route between La Crosse and Tomah/Sparta, connecting Monroe County to the corridor of Crawford, Vernon and La Crosse counties. So now, a passenger could essentially ride from Prairie du Chien to Tomah (or to Viroqua or La Farge) and back for $6 (Monday through Friday).

According to SMRT’s website (ridesmrt.com), the focus of this regional bus transit service is for commuters, elderly and disabled residents, the general public and potential tourism related travel. Each time you board the bus you pay only $3 one way, no matter how far you ride.

On Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 5:20 p.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department was notified of a one-vehicle accident on Quarry Road in Freeman Township with minor damage and no injuries.

Gregory R. E. Gens, 67, Ferryville, was traveling north on Quarry Road in a 2005 Toyota Corolla. The Gens vehicle was negotiating a sharp curve when it started to slide on the snow-covered and slippery roadway. The Gens vehicle slid across the southbound lane of traffic, continued off the left side of the roadway, went down a small embankment, struck a tree with the driver’s side door area and came to rest.

Gens claimed no injuries on scene.

Assisting at the scene was Scott’s Towing of Ferryville.

The Gens vehicle was pulled out and was able to be driven from the scene.

Crimestoppers seek information

On Friday, Jan. 12, at approximately 8:21 a.m., the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received a report of criminal damage to property to the Wauzeka-Steuben football field.

A vehicle was driven onto the football field and then it crashed into a chain-link fence. The incident occurred sometime during the night hours of Thursday, Jan. 11 or early morning hours of Friday, Jan. 12.

The Crawford County Crime Stoppers urges anyone having information about this or any other crimes to call 326-8933 or (866) 779-PAYS.

Every dollar makes a difference

By Correne Martin

Every year, the objective of the Eagles Heart and Cancer Telethon is to raise just $1 toward cardiology and cancer research. Though, truly, by the end of the eight-hour, local broadcast tradition, a figure much larger than that is reflected on the fundraising board.

“We are very proud of that number. People always want to know that total. That’s their connection to what their $10, in memory of grandma, went toward,” professed Tom Nelson, telethon co-host and esteemed Prairie du Chien personality. “The part of this that makes the entire telethon so special—from the viewer to the contributor to the participant—is that every little bit makes a difference from our little corner of the world.”

Pictured are Alesha Erdenberger, assistant administrator at Bluff Haven and LaBatisse, and Dr. Mark Grunwald, retired geriatric medicine doctor and current member of the board of directors for Community Health Services Corporation. (Photo by Rachel Mergen)

By Rachel Mergen

Finding a place to live is normally not the problem for senior citizens, according to Dr. Mark Grunwald, who is a local retired geriatric medicine doctor and current member of the board of directors for Community Health Services Corporation. Buildings are created regularly that include small, easily-accessible apartments for low rent that enable the elderly to live comfortably. The real problems facing senior citizens vary and can have ramifications on their futures.

A large number of senior citizens, approximately a third, in the United States, has been declared vulnerable. To be defined as so by the government, the person is unable to complete daily tasks, like bathing themselves and balancing their checkbook. These inabilities lead to a higher rate of accidents, leaving these men and women in need of government and citizen protection and support for years to come.